Super Fabulous Chana Saag

Okay, I know what you're thinking...Saag (pronounced "sog"......as in, soggy....boggy...ewwww) doesn't sound like the most appetizing thing in the world. And in point of fact, it doesn't even LOOK like the most appetizing thing in the world (the name really doesn't help), but seriously? It's absolutely incredible. It is my most favorite Indian dish, and until now, I never thought that we would ever be able to make it at home.

Last month when we visited my parents, my Dad sent us home with some mustard greens from his garden. Now, I've never been a big "greens" fan. I don't like spinach unless it's a small part of some other dish, and I've never been a fan of greens on their own. Dad used to make huge batches of collared greens in the summers--he'd pick them wild--and my GOD it would stink up the house to high HEAVEN. My sister and I would stuff towels under our doors to try to block out the smell--but nothing worked. That putrid essence permeated EVERYTHING, and it still makes me nauseous to this day when I even think about it ...*gag*.

So, it's kind of surprising that one of my very favorite dishes in the world is an indian version of greens. But this is so delicious and buttery tasting, it's more like...like...well, heaven! The Chana in the title means chickpeas--but you can use potatoes too, or even chicken or lamb. All credit must be given to Salmaan on this one, as he created his own special version of this dish from many different internet recipes. This is Salmaan's Super Fabulous Chana Saag, and you'll be hard pressed to find a better version out there.

Note: Recipe Serves 4-6

Cubed potatoes or chicken can be used as substitutes for the chickpeas.  The potatoes would need to be peeled, boiled, and cubed prior to adding them (add them where/when the chickpeas would go).  The chicken would have to be pre-cooked, or you could cube chicken breasts in a bit of oil with onion, garlic, and ginger, then add them in this recipe when the chickpeas would be added.

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee

2 Chopped Yellow Onions (Medium sized)

6-8 Cloves Of Garlic, Minced

1½ -2 Tablespoons Of Minced Ginger root

2 Teaspoons Ground Coriander

½ Teaspoon Ground Turmeric

¾-1 Teaspoon Garam Masala (Or make your own spice mix)

1 Pound Mustard Greens Or Spinach – Coursely Chopped (we used Dad's mustard greens, I think a mixture of both mustard greens and spinach would be great)

1 Cup Water

1 ¾ Teaspoon Salt

1 Cup Fat Free Plain Yogurt

¼ Cup Heavy Cream (Optional)

1 Can Chickpeas, or equal amount of Chicken, or Potatoes, as mentioned above

Method

1. Heat the oil or ghee in a very large saucepan or pot over medium heat.  Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes, stirring often.  Add the garlic, ginger, and spices (except salt) and sauté for another 2-3 minutes, stirring often so as to not burn the garlic.
2. Stir in the mustard greens/spinach, water, and salt and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool a bit.  Then, using a blender or food processor, puree the mixture in batches.  I would NOT recommend using a hand blender. One of the batches we made we used our hand blender instead of the food processor, and it came out chunky and stringy--not good. You want the whole thing to be chopped up and smooth.
4. Return the puree to the pot.  Add the chickpeas (rinsed and drained), or potatoes or chicken.  Stir well, heat to a boil and then immediately reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally.  Boil off as much water as you want, to make it as soupy or like salan (sauce) as you want.
5. Stir in yogurt and return to a brief simmer and then immediately remove pan from heat (be quick so as to not cause the sauce to curdle).  Stir in the optional cream, adjust seasonings and serve, over basmati and with naan.

You'll marvel at how good something this simple can be. and definitely eat it with naan! Enjoy!

 

 

Comments

[libsy]

Hey thanks for the recipe and the article.. i'm from India also... and love the recipe which you posted!

[Bug Lady]

Chana saag is one of my favorite dishes so I had high hopes for this recipe. I did half the amount of coriander and it was still way too much. I couldn't even get half a serving down without gagging. I guess the search for a decent recipe continues.